It’s cold and wintry out right now, but Spring is just around the corner, and for some, that means allergies!  Many people unnecessarily suffer from seasonal allergies when a few simple natural remedies can offer a lot of allergy relief.  

Start eating local raw honey now!

Ingesting local honey that’s likely to contain some of the same pollen you’re allergic to can help boost your immunity. But you need to find local raw honey and start eating it for several months leading up to allergy season!  Stop by either location to see our selection of local raw honey.

Drink more water.

Drinking plenty of water will help prevent higher histamine production and alleviate allergy symptoms. Drink three quarts (12 8-ounce glasses) daily during allergy season.

Drink peppermint tea.

The menthol in peppermint tea acts as a decongestant, which helps break up that icky mucus.

If exercising outdoors, go in the evening.

Most allergy sufferers experience more sneezing and itching in the a.m., as many trees release their pollen first thing, while ragweed pollen seems to attack midday. Try to stay indoors from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, when pollen is at its peak, and stick to spending time outdoors in the evenings.

Try steam inhalation.

Pour boiling water into a large bowl. Cover your head with a towel, lean over the bowl, and breathe in the steam. Inhale through your nose for 5-10 minutes. You can do this three to four times a day.  (Add a drop or two of peppermint or eucalyptus oil.)

This Winter has brought so much beauty to the Ozarks, but with its beauty brings shorter daylight hours, frigid temperatures, and sluggish moods.  Less sunlight and fewer opportunities for outdoor exercise and activities can combine to make you feel tired and a bit down.  But you can combat that with a healthy nutritious mood boosting diet!!  Check out just some of the foods that can help lift your mood. 

Fish High in Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of essential fats that you must obtain through your diet because your body can’t produce them on its own. Omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in brain development and behavior, as it contains anti-inflammatory qualities and impacts dopamine and serotonin transmissions.  Salmon, Mackerel, Herring, Lake Trout and Albacore Tuna are excellent sources.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the highest natural sources of vitamin D.  Since the vitamin D comes from its yolk, it’s important to use the whole egg, not just the whites.

Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens like spinach, chard, kale, and collard greens are loaded with magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which regulate stress hormones and your sleep cycle.

Avocado

Avocadoes contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which help decrease inflammation in your body and help your brain perform optimally and react positively to stress.

Fermented Foods

The fermentation process allows live bacteria to thrive in foods that are then able to convert sugars into alcohol and acids.  During this process, probiotics are created. These live microorganisms support the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut and may increase serotonin levels. Kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut are just some of the fermented foods that can help improve your gut health and mood. 

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, is rich with serotonin, a key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being and happiness.  Limit your intake to 1.4 ounces a day.

Garlic

Garlic is a good source of vitamin B6 which is needed for a healthy immune system and can help ward off fatigue and stress.

Mushrooms

Maitake, Morel, Chanterelle, Oyster, and Shiitake all contain natural levels of vitamin D when they are exposed to sunlight. Unfortunately, some commercially grown mushrooms are grown in the dark and thereby lack vitamin D.  Check the food label to see if vitamin D is listed. 

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C which helps support your immune system and increase energy levels. 

Berries and Bananas

Berries are packed with antioxidants and rich in folate which helps the brain produce serotonin and dopamine and regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Bananas are great for boosting serotonin as well.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great natural source of mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, fiber, and protein.  Additionally, they provide an amino acid responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin.

Stop by our store to stock up on these mood boosting essentials!

It’s sniffle season and families and friends are making holiday plans to be with each other.  Changing up your diet can help you sidestep sickness, and stay happy and healthy through the winter season, by providing your body with the right nutrients to help build your body’s natural defense system.  Check out these foods to help promote immunity for the winter months ahead.

Blueberries

These tasty little purple, antioxidant-rich powerhouses boost your body’s immune function by increasing your body’s production of germ-killing cells. 

Add to smoothie bowls, overnight oats, fruit salads, or charcuterie boards

Ginger

We just can’t get enough of this winter warming spice on cold, frigid days.  Ginger helps with your body’s immune system thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Just whip up a ginger shot to give your body a concentrated dose of nutrients – juice fresh ginger root (about 1 T.), a squeeze of lemon (about 1 T.), and a teaspoon of honey. 

Pineapple

Most think of summertime when eating pineapple, so what better fruit to eat on a cold day!  Pineapple is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and other helpful compounds such as enzymes that can help fight inflammation.

Add fresh pineapple to your smoothies, fruit salads, charcuterie boards, or water.

Yogurt

The good bacteria found in yogurt helps your gut run smoothly by making sure you have a higher ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria.  When your gut runs smoothly it sends signals for the development of healthy immune function, balancing immune responses. www.gilbertlab.com/immune-system/gut-microbiome-symbiosis/

Eat yogurt plain, as a dip for fruit, or add a couple of tablespoons of it to smoothies.

Strawberries

Strawberries actually contain more Vitamin C than oranges which makes them powerful immunity boosters.  They also contain flavonoids which can help to keep your skin clear.

Add chopped strawberries to oats, salads, smoothies, or water.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are full of the micronutrient, zinc, which helps boost your immune system. www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-pumpkin-seeds#2

Keep a bag of pumpkin seeds around to nibble on or add to yogurt, trail mix, granola or salads. 

Almonds

Almonds are full of the cold-fighting antioxidant, vitamin E, which protects cells from free-radical damage that could weaken the outer layer that guards your cells. www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-proven-benefits-of-almonds#TOC_TITLE_HDR_11

Try adding nuts to salads, homemade breads, oatmeal or simply enjoy a handful as a snack.

The holidays can be a hectic time of year which causes added stress on our bodies. Just incorporating small changes to our day can impact our mind and body. Make a plan and try to implement these simple tips to help give yourself a better chance at feeling great on Thanksgiving Day!!!!!

Stay Hydrated

Feeling hungry can sometimes be your body craving water. When you properly hydrate throughout the day, that helps your body be more attuned to its natural hunger signals. Add pieces of fruit to your water if you have a difficult time drinking plain water. Herbal tea is a great option too!

Start Your Meal with Bitters

Bitter herbs can awaken your body’s natural digestive processes by stimulating the production of gastric juices and saliva. They can even help reduce bloating, reflux, and indigestion. (www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-about-digestive-bitters) Use in a fresh salad or soup, herbal vinegars, teas, or juices. Common Thanksgiving bitter herbs to throw in your dish: dandelion, peppermint, wild lettuce, coriander, cinnamon, horseradish, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, juniper berries, marjoram, savory, cloves, ginger, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg, bay leaf, and pepper.

Fill Your Plate with Veggies First

To ensure vegetables make it into your meal, serve the veggie sides first on your plate.  This will also help to crowd out space on your plate which will also help reduce portion sizes of richer foods.

Serve Whole & Natural Foods

Avoid eating fatty, sugary, processed foods as much as possible.  Enjoy tasting the natural goodness of food!

Eat Slowly & Listen to Your Body Before Grabbing Seconds

It takes 20 minutes after we start eating for our bodies to register we are full.  So, eat at a leisurely pace and give yourself a moment to listen to your body before going for a second portion.

Skip the Dishes & Go for a Walk After Your Meal

A 15-minute walk after a meal can help reduce your blood sugar. (www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/exercise-lower-blood-sugar#1) Any movement will do if you don’t like to walk. Play with your kids/grandkids, have a mini dance party, get creative! So, after you are done with dessert, put off the dishes and clean up, and get moving!

Breath, Enjoy the Day & Get Back to Your Routine Tomorrow

Remember to just enjoy your day, nourish your body and soul, breathe, forget about work and other regular responsibilities and pressures, and get back to your normal routine on Friday!!!!

October is Non-GMO month, our chance to raise awareness about how choosing non-genetically modified foods can promote a healthy diet and sustainable agricultural practices. Protecting and building a non-GMO food supply is critical to preserving the biodiversity of our agricultural system. What does Non-GMO mean?

To understand Non-GMO let’s first understand what GMO means.  GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms.  In short, food that has been made through genetic engineering.  This process involves identifying the genetic information—or “gene”—that gives an organism (plant, animal, or microorganism) a desired trait, copying that information from the organism that has the trait, inserting that information into the DNA of another organism, and then growing the new organism.  By adding these new genes, genetic engineers hope the plant will express the traits associated with the genes. For example, genetic engineers have transferred genes from a bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt into the DNA of corn. Bt genes express a protein that kills insects, and transferring the genes allows the corn to produce its own pesticide.

So a “Non-GMO” claim on food suggests that all ingredients were derived from plants, animals, or other organisms whose genetic material has not been artificially altered in a laboratory.

Despite biotech industry promises, there is no evidence that any of the GMOs currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.  In the absence of credible independent long-term feeding studies, the safety of GMOs is unknown. Increasingly, citizens are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.  By the end of 2022 the United States Department of Agriculture will require all food companies to label GMOs. So until then, below is a list of the most common GMO foods.

Corn
Soybean
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Canola
Sugar beets
Potatoes
Papaya
Alfalfa
Apples
Animal Products
Microbes & Enzymes

So if you’re looking to avoid GMOs, look for the Non-GMO Project’s Verification label or stick with USDA Certified Organic since a “Non-GMO” claim on its own is not always trustworthy because it is not always third-party verified.

www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts
https://non-gmoreport.com/what-is-non-gmo-what-are-genetically-modified-foods/
https://www.greenerchoices.org/non-gmo-mean/
https://livingnongmo.org/connect/non-gmo-month/

As our society learns about the value and power of dietary supplements, we’ve all seen a dramatic increase in the number of supplements on the market. When choosing a supplement, it’s important to be selective. Here at Nature’s Wonders we only stock the highest quality supplements for our customers! Our selection of vitamins and supplements is extensive, featuring brands like Solaray, Now, Garden of Life, and many others. Here are our top 5 most popular supplements! 

Garden of Life Vegan DHA Brain & Heart Health

This supplement supports brain and heart health, overall wellness, and naturally supports normal inflammatory responses in the body. This particular supplement is popular with our vegan customers because it provides essential Omega-3s into their diet. 

Sinu-Orega Nasal Spray

Sinu-Orega is a natural nasal wash powered by potent spice extract. These powerful extracts are combined with pure sea salt in a spring water base, the ideal wash and inhalant for your nasal membranes and sinuses! This is a customer favorite during allergy season here in the Ozarks. 

Source Naturals Serene Science Theanine Serene with Relora 

This supplement is popular for calming the mind and body! It contains the amino acid L-theanine to support relaxation and focused attention and the calming neurotransmitter GABA. It also features magnesium to support muscle and nerve relaxation, calming holy basil leaf extract, and Relora to gently soothe away the tension in your body. 

Garden of Life Raw Organic Fiber 

Get 15 nutritious superfoods in one healthy fiber supplement! Discover the impact of organic superfoods, Omega-3 fatty acids, and live probiotics on your overall health with this supplement. A diet high in fiber provides numerous health benefits; however, many people find it a challenge to get enough fiber from the food they eat. But this supplement powder doesn’t stop with the advantages of fiber! Potent probiotics support proper digestion by balancing the microflora in your GI tract. Pick up this supplement today and experience its many benefits! 

Kyolic, Aged Garlic Extract, Detox & Anti-Aging

This supplement contains a synergistic combination that has special antioxidant properties that support detoxification and anti-aging. Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract begins with 100% organically grown garlic bulbs that are then aged to perfection in a unique extraction process to eliminate odor and create beneficial compounds found only in Kyolic. An excellent source of Vitamins A, C, E, and Herbal Antioxidants, this is a supplement worth adding to your daily routine! 

At Nature’s Wonders, we have an experienced staff who are available to assist you in selecting the best supplement for your needs, and we carry the finest brands available. Stop by and check out our vast selection of supplements today!

One of our main missions at Nature’s Wonders is partnering with local vendors to provide our customers with fresh, local products! You can find local products such as fresh produce, honey, coffee beans, and even grass-fed beef in our stores. One of our long-time local partners is Cedar Ridge Farms, located in Marble Falls, Arkansas. Here’s a message from the owners, JD and Judy!

Hello,  This is JD and Judy, with Cedar Ridge Farms. Wanted to give a shout-out to everyone in Branson last Friday for the beef cookout. We had a great time and hope you did too.  We met a lot of great people and I can’t remember everyone’s name but Cindy I hope you have caught a couple of big ones by now.  Audrey, I really enjoyed talking to you about grass-based beef.  Josh, you impressed my wife “Judy” with your knowledge of microbes and the soil.

We have supplied nutrient-rich food to the Nature’s Wonders’ Harrison Store for about ten years and would like to introduce ourselves to the Branson addition of Nature’s Wonders.  First off we are a family-based local farm (located just south of Harrison) and have raised our children on our farm.  Currently, our oldest son is working in town and our middle son has recently finished a tour in Afghanistan with the Army and plans on coming home and taking on more responsibility with the farm this fall.  Our youngest son is attending College of the Ozarks. 
Judy and I come from farming backgrounds.  Although we haven’t farmed all our lives Judy and I have grown something every year of our marriage except for the two tours I was deployed to Iraq.  We have been blessed enough to farm a few acres and be able to share the bounty with our friends and neighbors.  Our objective is to produce real food that is healthy.

It’s one thing to feed people, it’s another thing entirely to nourish them.  We choose to nourish. We produce GRASS FED, GRASS FINISHED BEEF.  No, nota, never, none, zero, grain has been fed to the beef cows we raise here on our farm.  We believe that beef fed only grass is healthy and has more omega 3 than grain feed beef-based on studies such as https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef. Our mineral for our beef animals is unrefined sea salt and organic Kelp.  We do not use chemical or synthetic wormers nor do we use antibiotics, or hormones.  We believe you should know or have the opportunity to know who is growing your food.  We believe you have a right to healthy food! If you wish to ask me any questions or just say hi, give me a ring.  My number is 870-754-7695.  

In the future, we will be offering pastured pork if there is a demand for it.

Nature’s Wonders is honored to partner with local farmers like Cedar Ridge Farms! On your next visit to our store, check out our selection of Cedar Ridge Farms products including ground chuck, ground beef, liver, sirloin tips, and osso bucco.